Talking Points....
Connect Fellowship 1/13/2026
This week’s group discussion will focus on Pastor Doug’s Fundamental series, "Foundations."
I. The Foundation of Grace
A. God shared the same vision with both Ezekiel and John 670 years apart.
1. Revelations 4:2-11 - Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they [h]exist and were created.”
2. Ezekiel 1:4-5, 10, 15, 17-20 - Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
3. The Holy Spirit will lead us higher and higher in all foundational aspects, in every area of our lives.
4. How has the Holy Spirit elevated you in an area where you needed it?
B. We need to ask the Holy Spirit for His help in areas we are lacking.
1. When we ask, we should be prepared for Him to have us rearrange our priorities.
2. Has the Holy Spirit ever convicted you to change your priorities? How did that help you grow closer to Him?
C. Man represents grace.
1. The Face of man represents Jesus and His humanity.
2. He is fully God and fully man.
3. How does knowing that Jesus is not just fully God, but also fully man, who has suffered the challenges we face being human, helped you when facing challenges?
D. We need to give others the same grace He does for the things others have done, do, and will do after being saved.
1. Hebrews 12:15 The Message - Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time.
2. How have you been able to show grace for other believers when they have sinned or done something wrong to you?
E. We need to give ourselves the same grace He does for the things we have done, do, and will do after being saved.
1. Romans 5:20-21 - All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.
2. When you mess up, what things do you do to show yourself the same grace Jesus has given you?
F. Grace Divinely enables us to live out a life in Christian victory.
1. Grace is the unmerited, underserving, unearned favor of God.
2. How has His grace made a difference in your life?
G. Our Heavenly Father's grace lifts, pulls, and pushes us when we are in need, to deliver us to where He needs us to be.
1. Share a time where God lifted, pushed, or pulled you when you really needed it.
II. The Foundation of Servanthood
A. The highest position.
1. Mark 10:43-45 - Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
2. Being a servant is the highest position in the Kingdom of God.
3. Why do you think being a servant is the highest position in God's Kingdom?
B. Servant Leadership.
1. The most successful leaders are the ones who understand that their greatest accomplishment isn't in their title or position, it is their ability to cultivate and serve the people they are leading.
2. How has being under a servant leader helped encourage you to serve others?
C. Real servants keep a low profile.
1. The way you go higher in the Kingdom of God is to go lower.
2. Luke 1:52 - He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
3. Matthew 23:12 - And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
4. Galatians 6:3 - For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
5. What are things we can do to help remind us to keep a low profile while serving?
D. Have a servant's heart.
1. David was a man after God's heart because he had a servant's heart.
2. 1 Samuel 17:20 - So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.
3. David was faithful to serve. Had he been reluctant to serve, he would have missed his God moment.
4. Share a time when you would have missed out on what God had for you if you hadn't served others.
E. The mark of maturity in the Kingdom of God is humility.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 - For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
a. This was 10 years before Paul's death.
2. Ephesians 3:8 - To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
a. This was 3 years before Paul's death.
3. 1 Timothy 1:15 - This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
a. This was 1 year before Paul's death.
4. Paul keeps going down in his assessment of who he is without Christ.
5. Grace keeps bringing him up in his identity with Christ.
6. How has being humble helped you mature in your relationship with God?
F. Reflection time.
1. What has stood out to you the most during this series, "Foundations"
This week’s group discussion will focus on Pastor Doug’s Fundamental series, "Foundations."
I. The Foundation of Grace
A. God shared the same vision with both Ezekiel and John 670 years apart.
1. Revelations 4:2-11 - Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they [h]exist and were created.”
2. Ezekiel 1:4-5, 10, 15, 17-20 - Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.
As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.
Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
3. The Holy Spirit will lead us higher and higher in all foundational aspects, in every area of our lives.
4. How has the Holy Spirit elevated you in an area where you needed it?
B. We need to ask the Holy Spirit for His help in areas we are lacking.
1. When we ask, we should be prepared for Him to have us rearrange our priorities.
2. Has the Holy Spirit ever convicted you to change your priorities? How did that help you grow closer to Him?
C. Man represents grace.
1. The Face of man represents Jesus and His humanity.
2. He is fully God and fully man.
3. How does knowing that Jesus is not just fully God, but also fully man, who has suffered the challenges we face being human, helped you when facing challenges?
D. We need to give others the same grace He does for the things others have done, do, and will do after being saved.
1. Hebrews 12:15 The Message - Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time.
2. How have you been able to show grace for other believers when they have sinned or done something wrong to you?
E. We need to give ourselves the same grace He does for the things we have done, do, and will do after being saved.
1. Romans 5:20-21 - All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.
2. When you mess up, what things do you do to show yourself the same grace Jesus has given you?
F. Grace Divinely enables us to live out a life in Christian victory.
1. Grace is the unmerited, underserving, unearned favor of God.
2. How has His grace made a difference in your life?
G. Our Heavenly Father's grace lifts, pulls, and pushes us when we are in need, to deliver us to where He needs us to be.
1. Share a time where God lifted, pushed, or pulled you when you really needed it.
II. The Foundation of Servanthood
A. The highest position.
1. Mark 10:43-45 - Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
2. Being a servant is the highest position in the Kingdom of God.
3. Why do you think being a servant is the highest position in God's Kingdom?
B. Servant Leadership.
1. The most successful leaders are the ones who understand that their greatest accomplishment isn't in their title or position, it is their ability to cultivate and serve the people they are leading.
2. How has being under a servant leader helped encourage you to serve others?
C. Real servants keep a low profile.
1. The way you go higher in the Kingdom of God is to go lower.
2. Luke 1:52 - He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
3. Matthew 23:12 - And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
4. Galatians 6:3 - For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
5. What are things we can do to help remind us to keep a low profile while serving?
D. Have a servant's heart.
1. David was a man after God's heart because he had a servant's heart.
2. 1 Samuel 17:20 - So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.
3. David was faithful to serve. Had he been reluctant to serve, he would have missed his God moment.
4. Share a time when you would have missed out on what God had for you if you hadn't served others.
E. The mark of maturity in the Kingdom of God is humility.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 - For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
a. This was 10 years before Paul's death.
2. Ephesians 3:8 - To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
a. This was 3 years before Paul's death.
3. 1 Timothy 1:15 - This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
a. This was 1 year before Paul's death.
4. Paul keeps going down in his assessment of who he is without Christ.
5. Grace keeps bringing him up in his identity with Christ.
6. How has being humble helped you mature in your relationship with God?
F. Reflection time.
1. What has stood out to you the most during this series, "Foundations"